NY Mets: Top 5 best trade deadline targets ranked

Kris Bryant should get an official ‘Welcome to the Mets’ text

It feels as though the Mets and Kris Bryant have been linked in trade rumors forever, but in reality it’s only been the better part of two seasons. The Mets were heavily linked to the former MVP and Chicago was in talks with New York this past offseason but the two teams couldn’t gain much traction. Times have changed and so have the needs for both sides. Bryant is in the final year of his contract before hitting free agency and the Cubs have made public their role as sellers this deadline. The Mets, trying their best to cling to their diminishing lead in the NL East are in desperate need of offense. It seems as though all of the stars are aligning for a blockbuster.

J.D. Davis made his return to the lineup after a two month stint on the IL felt by homering twice in his first game back against the Pittsburgh Pirates. This led to Mets fans succumbing to recency bias and suggesting that the team no longer needed Bryant. Whether or not Davis would be involved in a trade for Bryant remains to be seen. What is crystal clear however is that the Mets are immediately a better team with Bryant in the lineup.

In 2016, Kris Bryant took home his first NL MVP award after slugging 39 homers and 102 RBIs. When healthy, the right-handed slugger has shown what he’s capable of at the plate and with an offense that has sputtered at most points during the season, the Mets should be doing whatever they can to infuse some life at the plate outside of Brandon Nimmo.

In addition to being a threat at the plate, Bryant also provides the defensive versatility that manager Luis Rojas and the front office often covet. With a bulk of his games played coming at third base and left field, Bryant has also played in centerfield, right field and at first base. Whether or not Davis gets shipped to Chicago in a potential deal for Bryant is unknown, but what is becoming more and more evident is the reality that Michael Conforto may not be returning to Queens after this season. Could a potential trade for Bryant prompt the Mets to try to focus their attention to signing him after this season instead of Conforto?

Bryant is no doubt, one of, if not the most, coveted player heading into the July 31st trade deadline and with the Nationals reportedly being in the mix as well, the cost of obtaining Bryant is going to be high. The cost will be less than what it would’ve been during the offseason given that the Mets are only getting Bryant’s services for half a season. Nevertheless, the Mets will undoubtedly have to part with at least one top ten prospect to net Chicago’s homegrown all-star.

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The Mets have the pieces to get a deal done for Kris Bryant and the Cubs are willing to move him, which is why now is the time to pull the trigger and bring Bryant to New York for a World Series push.